Palparan hits leftwing lawmakers' senatorial bid

Bantay party-list Rep. Jovito Palparan on Wednesday warned the public against voting for militant lawmakers Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza, saying the two senatorial aspirants’ pro-poor platforms are only “deception."

"I hope that they would not vote for Satur and Liza Maza," said Palparan, a retired Army general controversial for his alleged human rights abuses, at a press conference in the Batasan Complex in Quezon City.

He also accused Ocampo of Bayan Muna party-list of being a “promoter of violence."

Palparan extended his warning to the Nacionalista Party (NP), which has Ocampo and Maza in its senatorial slate as guest candidates.

"The Nacionalista Party headed by Sen. Manuel Villar, while not finding fault, must be strongly warned about the dire consequences that may befall our country and people when it decided to coalesce with Makabayan and taking in Ocampo and Maza on its senatorial slate," he said.

Makabayan is a coalition of militant organizations, including Bayan Muna and Maza’s Gabriela.

Ocampo and Maza, meanwhile, dismissed the statements of Palparan, who was known for his strong anti-communist drive prior to his election as party-list representative at the House of Representatives.

"I will not dignify Palparan's inane rantings," Ocampo said in a text message to GMANews.TV.

Ocampo also denied that he is a promoter of violence. "I have gone through repeated charges in various courts regarding the use of violence, and I have been cleared by the lower courts and be no less than the Supreme Court," he said.

Maza likewise told GMANews.TV that what Palparan said was "expected of him."

"He is using us as a platform for his McCarthyist witch-hunting and to cover up his crimes against the people including his role in extrajudicial killings in Mindoro and elsewhere," she said.

Militant organizations have accused Palparan of committing human rights violations during his stint in the military. Palparan has repeatedly denied the allegations and branded them as black propaganda perpetrated by groups allied with the communist movement.

Palparan himself is seeking a Senate seat as an independent candidate. When he filed his certificate of candidacy, he said he is running to oppose candidates aligned with left-leaning groups. - KBK, GMANews.TV